Setting a budget and sticking to it is really hard and The Spinoff Parents regularly gets asked to pull together budget tips that real parents use. Here are the best crowd-sourced tips from parents in New Zealand. We’ve tried to split this series into parts – because we were sent so many tips. This week we’ve compiled … Read more
Dwayne The Rock Johnson welcomed his third daughter into the world today. Having read his Instagram post about the birth, Dwayne The Rock Johnson’s number one fan Emily Writes is now recovering in hospital after an ovary explosion. From her death bed, and with the assistance of her group-chat sisters Becka, Tamsyn, Gem and Vanessa, she … Read more
Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes introduces our new advice column: Is it Normal? – a place for parents to ask experts the questions they Google at 2am. I am a worrier. I would die if anyone saw my Google search history. Many late night searches begin: “Is it normal for a three year old to…” … Read more
Wellington-based coffee chain Mojo has announced it is upping its prices in response to the increase in the minimum wage. Fine, says Emily Writes, but I won’t be buying your coffee again. My love of coffee is known, and while it doesn’t reach the levels of “has Google alert for Wellington and Coffee” it does … Read more
There are changes afoot at Te Papa. And the question on every parent’s lips is: What will happen to the Giant Squid every child is obsessed with? Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes went on a squid hunt. I have been to Te Papa with my two kids around eight hundred trillion times and we have … Read more
As part of our series on the midwifery crisis, The Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes asked midwives to share what’s gone wrong, and how they believe the crisis can be solved. It’s coming up to a year since I interviewed dozens of midwives about their experiences working in one of the toughest, most under-paid and … Read more
Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes unloads her anxiety about her children who are nowhere near university age one day maybe going to university onto Spinoff staffers, genuine millennials, and recent students Alex Braae and Alice Webb-Liddall. Hi Alex and Alice! Thanks for agreeing to let me grill you. Basically I’ve been waking up at 2am … Read more
Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes took her family to Nelson care of the Interislander Kaitaki. She writes about what it’s really like for families on board. We were somewhere around Torea Bay, on the edge of Waikawa, when the screaming began to take hold. The baby had a sore tum and had been wriggling and … Read more
Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes writes about co-sleeping and her long journey to self-acceptance about her style of parenting. The other day I said to my husband “I should really try to get the baby to sleep on his own tonight.” My husband smiled and gave me a hug. He knew that what I really … Read more
Emily Writes went to a cafe and transcribed an interview between a journalist and a celebrity cook while her children took turns taking dumps in the fryer and coffee machine. *** Journalist: The other day I was in the supermarket and I definitely heard a parent say “What do you mean you want a Jelly … Read more
Two words from Emily Writes in response to today’s many terrible reckons: shut it. I live in the most wonderful liberal bubble. It is here in my echo chamber that I hide from terrible comments from people with shit for brains. I don’t venture into comments sections anymore; I just don’t want to be knee-deep … Read more
A message for prime minister Jacinda Ardern, who announced her pregnancy this morning. Dear Jacinda, First of all – like obviously – congratulations! Second of all – BABIES!! Little tiny feet and little hands and gummy smiles and button noses! Third of all – we’ve got your back. Seriously. That squeeing you heard across the … Read more
Antenatal classes can be a wonderful resource for new parents. They’re mostly run by volunteers and they generally cover what you need to know – but sometimes what’s covered is less useful than the chance to meet other new parents. Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes asked parents to tell her what they wish they’d heard … Read more
On her second son’s birthday, Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes has some advice for the expectant mother she once was: Hold fast, hold tight, hold on. When I was pregnant with my second baby I had a really idealised view of labour. My first labour had been relatively straight forward and in my mind I’d … Read more
Is Christmas Day the best or worst day of the year? Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes has crowd-sourced a list of the characters you’ll break bread with today. Tis the night before Christmas, and your house is a mess. The kids have gone feral, and you’re not feeling #blessed. You’re starting to sweat about lunch the next … Read more
Because you are more than a mother. Because you’re doing enough. Because you just don’t feel like it – you’re allowed to say no to your kids, says Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes. This post was first published on May 26, 2017. I was sent an article and told it would change my life. This … Read more
At this time of year the inbox of our editor Emily Writes fills up with messages from despairing mothers who are struggling through the holiday period. They feel alone and overwhelmed and exhausted. This is her Christmas message for them. To all of the mothers who are understandably overwhelmed by the immense and relentless pressure … Read more
Can you ever really be wholly virtuous with your shopping choices? New research from AUT looks at how we balance our good and evil sides when we consume. Are you green to be seen, or do you really care about the environment? Emily Writes talks to AUT’s Sommer Kapitan about consumers’ conflicting motivations. She was … Read more
We have a beautiful summer upon us. The school and kindy holidays are very long. Here’s your crowd-sourced by real parents guide to Wellington with little ones. Every parent with toddlers needs to know about the Capital E creative play space. One mum says: “We love it because it changes regularly but it’s familiar enough … Read more
Last night the Herald published a story about a six-year-old Russian child described as the ‘most beautiful girl in the world’. Who on earth thought this was a good idea? Once upon a time, my mate’s beloved van was stolen from outside his house. As he was recounting the story, it just got worse and … Read more
Have you been thinking about a style overhaul? Need to spruce up your outfits before you see the rellies at Christmas? Never fear! Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes has a fashion-obsessed five-year-old and he has many tips. My son Eddie started choosing his clothes before he could even talk. There was something about clothing he just … Read more
You might think the festive season is a time for togetherness, positivity and joy, but you could not be more wrong. Here’s a rundown of the usual suspects getting ready to leave a turd in your Christmas trifle. It’s December, which means it’s time to start judging the unholy crap out of each other to … Read more
After moving to New Zealand to study, Julia Soares returned to her New Caledonia home eight years later with her Wellington band in tow, ready to show them ‘an island that vibrates with music’. You can hear the joy in Julia Soares voice as she recounts her homecoming set at New Caledonia’s once-in-a-lifetime music festival … Read more
One in five New Zealanders live in energy poverty, forced to choose between adequately heating their homes and other life essentials. Emily Writes looks back at her own experience raising a family in a drafty, cold, damp Kiwi home. One in five Kiwis live in energy poverty. That’s not good enough, so our friends at … Read more
Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes on her son’s first day of school. I’m breaking my rule of not writing about mothering without letting my thoughts sit for a while. It’s a thing I try to do, a luxury for a blogger slash internet writer type person. Most people in I don’t know what to call … Read more
When you’re exhausted and everything that could go wrong, does go wrong, you need a parenting hack to get you through. Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes has a tip to change your mindset and help turn your little devils into little angels. For much of my second child’s life I have wondered what’s going on … Read more
Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes wonders if Facebook groups for parents do more harm than good. I saw Blade Runner finally. Without much of an interest in blades or running it took me a while. I saw it only because it had Ryan “Sad Eyes” Gosling in it. As I was watching I thought about … Read more
It might seem like there is a breathtakingly obscene amount of incomprehensible unspoken, unwritten rules around children’s birthday parties but really it’s all quite simple. Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes has crafted the definitive set of guidelines. A few weeks back I hosted my son’s fifth birthday party. In my life I’ve hosted six birthday … Read more
At the Spinoff Parents we talk a lot about mental illness among parents. Today editor Emily Writes shares a group post that outlines the many ways perinatal anxiety, depression, and psychosis have affected New Zealand parents. We hope that anyone who sees themselves or their loved ones in these stories will seek help. Content warning: … Read more